Slide for slide fasteners



Nov. 2%, 1939. ,1 B, MUCCA ET AL Zl' SLIDE FOR SLIDE FASTENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet, l

Filed July 1, 1958 Nov. 28, H9379. 1,5 MUC@ p -r L Ells SLIDE FOR SLIDE` FASTENERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed JuLy 1, 1938 E Patented Nov. 28, 1.939

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I I. l 'sumal Fon. zslrllirzzs FAsTENEns John B. Mucci, Medford,

Americo F. Sico, Sommerville, and Tancredi Iapicca, Boston, Mass. Application July 1, 1938, Serial No. 217,010

1 Claim.

This invention relates to slides for slide fasteners or zippers.

The primary objection to the conventional slide of a slide fastener or zipper resides in the fact that the same cannot be removed from its track intermediate the ends thereof unless the slide is pried loose therefrom and rendered unfit for any further use. The necessity for removing a slide intermediate the ends of its track arises frequently and may be due to many causes,

for instance, it happens frequently that a garment gets caught between the slide and zipper track of another garment and the Vslide cannot be moved on the track so as to release the caught garment Without tearing the same, or sand gets in the zipper track of a bathing suit or other beach wear and dei-les all attempts of moving the slide so as to open the track. Any such occurrence is notonly annoying and sometimes 2o embarrassing, but the lreplacement of a slide iequires expert skill which involves cost and causes inconvenience.

It is the primary aim and object of the present invention to provide a slide which can be re- 2 moved at any place on the zipper track without requiring any sliding movement thereon and 'without impairing the further use of the slide.

This object is accomplished by providing separate plates for the slide and hingedly connect- 3 ing the same, and by providing means for interlocking the plates in cooperative position.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways.

. Also it is to be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyond the requirements of the prior art.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a fragmentary plan view of a slide fastener unit which embodies the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Figs. 3 and 4 are fragmentary sections similar to Fig. 2, showing certain parts of the slide in different positions of operation, however.

Fig. 5 is a perspective -view of the assembled slide, showing the parts thereof in position for removal from the track of the slide fastener.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the separate plates of the slide.

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a modified slide assembly.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of 5 Fig. '1.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to Fig. 1 thereof, the reference numeral Ill designates any suitable article such as a garment, to which the teeth or claws II of a 10 track I2 of a slide fastener or zipper are secured in a conventional manner.v The slide I3 for-opening and closing the track I2 comprises two plates I4 and I5 on opposite sides of the track I2', said plates being rigid and having 18 the customary side flanges I6 (see particularly Figs. 2 and 5) which force the claws II of the -track into the interlocked relation shown in Figs.

1 and 2.

Plate I4 is provided with the conventional 20 track-opening post I8 which is wedge-shaped at I9 as best shown in Figs. 5 and 6. This post I8 is provided with a hole 20 which serves as a bearing for a pivot 2|, provided by the plate l I5. This pivot 2| is a rib formed by slotting the 25 plate I5 as at 22 near and parallel to the rear edge 23 of said plate whereby said rib is also laterally exposed toward the remainder of the plate I5 to such an extent that said plate may pivotabout the axis of the hole 2|) into various 30 angular positions as, for instance, thel position shown in Fig. 4, without interference from the post I8. The post I8 is split at 24 adjacent the hole 20 so 'that the pivot or rib 2| of the plate l5 can be inserted into said hole through the 35 slit 24. After insertion of the pivot 2| into the hole 20, the slit 24 is closed under pressure or in any other convenient manner so that the plate I5 remains permanently pivoted on the other In order to avoid any interference 40 between the track I2 and the plate I5, the hole 20 is so spaced from the track that the end portions of said plate on both sides of the pivot 2| thereof clear the track in any angular position of the plate I5. 'To this end, a length of 45 the plate I5, including the rib-or ,pivot 2|, is bent out of the plane of the remaining plate length yas shown at 25 (Figs. 2 and 4). It is to be understood that the explained pivot connec-` tion between the plates I4, I5 is a preferred one, 50 and that any other pivot connection may be used without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The post |8 is also preferably provided with a stop 26 on which the plate |5 rests when both 55 plates I4, |5 assume the cooperative position shownln Fig. 2. A circumferential portion |8a of the post I8 near the pivot 2| is preferably hereafter called the formed slightly eccentric with respect to the pivot axis so that the edge 21 of the notch 22 becomes wedged thereagainst when the plate I5 is turned into the cooperative lor closed position shown in Fig. 2'during the latter part of such rotation. The wedging engagement between the edge 21 of the notch 22 and the eccentric surface |8a oiL the post I8 acts as a lock for the closed plates I4, I5 (Fig. 2) against any relative movement between said plates other than relative rotation therebetween. The stop 25ion the post I8 may even be dispensed with if the eccentric surface I8a is so arranged that the edge 21 of the notch 22 becomes rmly locked thereagainst when the plate I5 is in the cooperative position shown in Fig. 2. Of course, the wedging surface |8a need not be eccentric but may be a mere inclined surface.

The post I8 is also providedpwith a notch 38 (seeparticularly Figs. 1, 5 and 6) in which a latch end 3Ia of a Wire spring 3| is yieldingly retained for interlocking the plates I4 and I5 against relative rotation when they are in the cooperative position shown in Fig. 2. 'I'he spring 3| may be mounted in any suitable manner on the plate I5, but is preferably anchored on a punched-out and downwardly bent linger 32 of a casing 33 which is suitably mounted on top of the plate I5, for instance, by depending lugs 34 on opposite side walls of said casing 33 as well as the free end of the linger 32 which project intoV corresponding apertures in the plate I5 and are spot welded or otherwise secured therein. More particularly, the spring 3| is provided with two looped portions 35 and 35 of which portion 35 surrounds the nger 32 and thus anchors the spring 3| to the plate I5. It appears best from Fig. l that the non-coiled latch end 3|a of the spring 3| leads from the coiled portion 35, while another non-coiled end portion 3 Ib of said spring, lock end, leads from the looped portion 3B and has its free end bent and extending at 31 through the plate I5 and between two consecutive claws of the track I2, thus serving as a lock against movement of the slide along the track The latch end 3| a of the spring 3| is worked into a convenient, yet nonobstructing, handle 38 `to facilitate manipulation of said latch end out of the notch 38. It will also be observed in Figs. 1 and 2 that manipulation of the latch end 3Ia of the spring 3| out of the notch 30 tends to further wind the coiled spring portion 35 so that the full spring force of the latter is used for retaining said latch end in the notch 30. Likewise, withdrawal of the lock end 3| b of the spring 3| from locking engagement with the track I2 tends to further wind the coiled spring portion 36 so that the full spring force of the, latter is used for locking the slide on the track. In View of the above tendencies of the manipulated spring ends 3|a and 3| b on the respective coiled spring portions 35 and 36 and due to the fact that these spring ends are manipulated in transverse planes, it follows that said coiled spring portions 35 and 36 are located in transverse planes as best shown in Figs. l to 4, inclusive.

The casing 33 is provided in two of its opposite side walls with notches 40 which serve as fulcrums for two lateral lugs 4| of a handle 42 which extends into said casing 33 through a slot 43 therein. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, inclusive,

the lugs 4| are of greater length than width in cross-section and one cf these lugs (Fig. 1) extends underneath the lock end 3|b of the spring 3|. Hence, in the position of the handle 42 as shown in Fig. 2, the lock end 3|b of the spring 3| is effective and locks the `slide I3 against movement on the track I2, while rotation of the handle 42 into the position shown in Fig. 3, for instance, causes .withdrawal of said lock end 3|b from locking engagement with the track I2. Accordingly, if it is desired to manipulate the slide I3 along the track, the handle 42 has to be turned clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2. preferably into the position shown in Fig. 3,'before the slide is released for movement on the track I2. Rotation of the handle 42 into the position shown in Fig. 3 prior to manipulation of the slide I3 on the track I2 does not impose a burden upon the user of the zipper because the same will have to turn the handle away from order to obtain a good grip thereon for working the slide. On the other hand, the handle 42 is best located in the least obstructive position shown in Fig. 2 when the slide is not worked, so that the instinctive manipulation of said handle into the position shown in Fig. 2 after working the slide automatically locks the same against further movement on the track.

vIf the slide I3 has to be removed from the track I2 for any reason whatsoever, the user of the zipper merely manipulates the latch end 3|a of the spring 3| out of the notch 30 and turns plate I5 into an open position, such as shown in Fig. 4, whereupon the slide can be removed from the track without necessitating any sliding motion thereon. After the obstruction in the track is removed therefrom, the user of the zipper reapplies the slide to the track in the manner shown in Fig. 4 and then merely tunis plate I5 into the position shown in Fig. 2 in which the latch end 3|a of the spring 3| will snap into the notch 30 under its own spring force and thus relock the two plates I4 and I5 against relative rospring 3| rides on the edge |8b of the post I8.-

Thus, removal of the slide I3 Afrom the track I2" and its re-assembly therewith doesnot require any special skill and may be quickly and eiliciently undertaken by the user himself.

Figs. 7 and 8 disclose a modification of the slide in which the hinged connection between the plates |41 and |5a is afforded by means of a U-shaped leaf spring 50, the legs 5I and 52 of which are secured in any suitable manner to the respective plates Ida and |5a, and the yoke 53 of which is free to move independently of either plate 4a or |5a and preferably projects into a groove 54 in the wedge-shaped track-opening post 55 of the plate I 4a. More particularly, the post 55 is provided with an extension 56 which projects between upturned ears or lugs 51 of the plate |5a to which the leg 52 of the spring 50 is secured in any suitable manner, such as by brazing or welding, not shown. The extension 56 of the post 55 is provided with a hole 58 into which normally projects one end of a plunger 59, slidably supported by upturned punched-out lugs of the plate |5a and normally urged into registry with said hole 58 by a compression spring 6|. The other end of the plunger 59 is preferably provided with a convenient handle 62 to facilitate withdrawal of said plungerfrom registry with the hole 58. Thus, the plunger 59 A 2,181,025 -interlocks the plates Ila and lia against relative opening rotation from the. cooperative position shown in Eig. 8 in which the plate 15a rests on a. stop or shoulder 63, conveniently provided by the post 55 of the plate Ila. Withdrawal of the pluriger 59 from registry with the hole 58 will permit the operator of the zipper to rock plate l5a away from the track (not shown) substantially to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 8. whereby the yoke 53 of the spring 50 is bent in themanner shown in dotted lines in said gure and acts as a hinge. To further facilitate removal of the slide from the track,- the,post extension 56 is preferably provided with another hole 65 with which the spring-urged plunger 59 willregister wheu the plate turned.

We claim:

l A slide for a fastener track having two spaced 20 track-closing plates of substantially non-resilient -yoke 'of resilient.

l5al is sufiiciently material of which one plate has an opening, a material joining the plates atone en d and permitting relative rocking move- 1 lment o! said plates in a plane at right angles to the main plane of either plate and parallel tothe 5 longitudinal axis-thereof, a track-opening post on the other plate projecting between said plates and having a stop surface engageable by said one plate'to prevent rocking movement of the lattertoward said other plate beyond substantial parallelism therewith, said post having a portion extending through said opening in said one plate with slight clearance therefrom., and means cooperating with said extended portion of the post for locking said one plate against rocking movement o ut of engagement with said stop surface.

JOHN B. MUCCI. AMERICO F. SICO.

\ TANCREDI rancori. ,o 

